Perth, City Mills. Interior view of attic floor.

Description Perth, City Mills. Interior view of attic floor.

Date 9/1963

Collection Records of the Scottish National Buildings Record, Edinburgh, Scotland

Catalogue Number PT 1286

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 745606

Scope and Content View of top floor, Lower City Mills, Perth, Perth & Kinross Lower City Mills consisted of an oatmeal mill on the north side of the lade built in 1787, and a barley mill built in 1803 on the south side. Both were driven by a central low breastshot (water hits the wheel halfway down one side) waterwheel. Barley production ended in the 1930s, and oatmeal milling ceased in 1953. In the mid 1980s the mill was converted into a visitor centre. This shows the attic floor of the Lower Mills. The substantial and strong king-post roof is partly supported by wooden timbers leaving the floor clear for storage. Sacks of oats would be lifted up here using the sack hoist with its wooden surround (right). This would be powered by the main waterwheel. Oats would be loaded into hoppers on this floor before the milling process began. The large waterwheel is contained within the building itself, and measures 3.74m wide and 4.27m in diameter. Water from the town lade (mill stream) flows into the centre of the building where it is controlled by a sluice. This turns the waterwheel and transfers its power to the millstones, hoists and other machinery using a system of gears. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

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